I used to go busking but it ain't where the money's at. Today I sold ice cream in town and made £100!!! That's the way to go, Dan, my friend. The sun is hot, the ice cream scoop seems to magically make round balls of ice cream, and it's funny when Americans don't know what a "flake" is.
Yes, that is the way to go, Dan. Work in a confectionery factory. Makes "home-made" confectionery, dintcha know! Yes. And your idea of a day off is selling ice-cream all day. THAT, Daniel, is the way to go, not playing music on the street and getting paid for it. Just you remember that.
Dan
Are you in York busking this week? Let us know where - I'm working in York, so I'll stroll along to boost the takings (especially if you do some Shetland stuff )
Best spots I know of are St Helens Sq or High Petergate
It's been maybe twenty years since I last busked. I think the most I ever made was about forty dollars in three hours. I was in a band. You make more playing solo. Hammer dulcimer players often make a killing, because so few people have ever seen or heard one. On the street, novelty pays.
A couple of weeks ago, my band broke the Minimum Wage Ceiling: over $10 per hour each!
Actually, the best I have ever done was many years ago, singing and playing guitar on the streets of Istanbul. I don't know how much it was, but a whole pile of dinars (not dinners.) Very passionate and generous people, if you don't cross them.
"These performers have not always been called buskers. The term busking was first noted in the English language around the middle 1860s. The word busk comes from the Spanish root word buscar, meaning "to seek" – buskers are literally seeking fame and fortune.[5][6] In obsolete French it evolved to busquer for "seek, prowl" and was generally used to describe prostitutes. In Italian it evolved to buscare which meant "procure, gain" and in Italy buskers are called buscarsi or, more simply, Buskers."
In the late 70s, whilst at University, I used to busk with a really good American country singer and guitarist called Dion Parker in Bath and once we made £100 in an afternoon outside the Pump Rooms.
That was LOT of money back then.
I seem to remember we drank most of that but the rest we just wasted
Woo Geoff, I work outside the pump room. You can get a fortune for strumming 2 guitar chords and singing "hey pretty lady" when a woman walks past. I'm being bitter...
Anyone remember the thing about how Joshua Bell (with his multi-million Strad) got on busking? I seem to remember an article in a newspaper(?) about him busking in a Metro station and making about $12.00 or there abouts...it was a hoot!
in spanish you have the verb "buscar" which means to search or perhaps to ask. hence "to busk" as in to ask for money. how's that for totally made up etymology?
Yeah, but that Joshua Bell experiment was conducted in Washington. It's a well known fact that everyone in Washington is a philistine. I can attest to the veracity of that statement, as I have the great misfortune to live in the district.
Busking
Busking
After going for a good busk in York today, I think I did pretty well coz people were complimentary and also gave quite a few coins away!
Just wondering, what's the most you've ever made from busking in one day? How did you do it?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by D.J.F.
Re: Busking
I'm afraid I'm going to need a translation
just what is busking?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Busking
Are you for real Nate?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by woD
Re: Busking
You hit the street with your music and an open case.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by leoj
Re: Busking
Aah Nate is an American name isn't it? Nuff said
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by woD
Re: Busking
yep. I speak English like a native
a native of Pennsylvania
so it has nothing to do with getting the tusks off a boar then?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Busking
I used to frequently make $600 to $1,000 a day busking in big cities on the USA East Coast--but that was as a juggler.
The most I've ever made busking with music in one day was $135 and a terrific barbecur dinner for about an hour of bluegrass banjo.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Busking
Will, you made a thousand bucks in a day juggling???
I am completely in the wrong racket
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Busking
I used to go busking but it ain't where the money's at. Today I sold ice cream in town and made £100!!! That's the way to go, Dan, my friend. The sun is hot, the ice cream scoop seems to magically make round balls of ice cream, and it's funny when Americans don't know what a "flake" is.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by mehitabel23
Re: Busking
"and it's funny when Americans don't know what a "flake" is"
sure we do. it's good cocaine, right?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Busking
Yes, that is the way to go, Dan. Work in a confectionery factory. Makes "home-made" confectionery, dintcha know! Yes. And your idea of a day off is selling ice-cream all day. THAT, Daniel, is the way to go, not playing music on the street and getting paid for it. Just you remember that.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Joe CSS
Re: Busking
Dan
)
Are you in York busking this week? Let us know where - I'm working in York, so I'll stroll along to boost the takings (especially if you do some Shetland stuff
Best spots I know of are St Helens Sq or High Petergate
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by domnull
Re: Busking
It's been maybe twenty years since I last busked. I think the most I ever made was about forty dollars in three hours. I was in a band. You make more playing solo. Hammer dulcimer players often make a killing, because so few people have ever seen or heard one. On the street, novelty pays.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Bob himself
Re: Busking
Out of curiousity, what are the legal implications of playing copyrighted material while busking?
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by jasonb
Re: Busking
Probably the same as any performance venue.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Bob himself
Re: Busking
This old thread may be worth revisiting:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/13315
The link to the Washington Post article with video clips (more than one, just scroll down) still works.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by mickray
Re: Busking
So what do they call busking in America?
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by fabphil39
Re: Busking
I always called is busking.
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by John Culhane
Re: Busking
We used to call it "playing on the street." I didn't know the term, "busking", until twenty-ish years ago.
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by Bob himself
Re: Busking
A couple of weeks ago, my band broke the Minimum Wage Ceiling: over $10 per hour each!
Actually, the best I have ever done was many years ago, singing and playing guitar on the streets of Istanbul. I don't know how much it was, but a whole pile of dinars (not dinners.) Very passionate and generous people, if you don't cross them.
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by oldstrings
Re: Busking
An interesting quote from the wikipedia:
"These performers have not always been called buskers. The term busking was first noted in the English language around the middle 1860s. The word busk comes from the Spanish root word buscar, meaning "to seek" – buskers are literally seeking fame and fortune.[5][6] In obsolete French it evolved to busquer for "seek, prowl" and was generally used to describe prostitutes. In Italian it evolved to buscare which meant "procure, gain" and in Italy buskers are called buscarsi or, more simply, Buskers."
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Busking
oldstrings, I suppose you can get millions in Istanbul, literally.
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Busking
In the late 70s, whilst at University, I used to busk with a really good American country singer and guitarist called Dion Parker in Bath and once we made £100 in an afternoon outside the Pump Rooms.
That was LOT of money back then.
I seem to remember we drank most of that but the rest we just wasted
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by Geoff Pollitt
Re: Busking
I'm sure you're correct, Ramiro. I have no idea how many old dinars it would take to buy a New Turkish Lira.
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by oldstrings
Re: Busking
Woo Geoff, I work outside the pump room. You can get a fortune for strumming 2 guitar chords and singing "hey pretty lady" when a woman walks past. I'm being bitter...
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by mehitabel23
Re: Busking
Anyone remember the thing about how Joshua Bell (with his multi-million Strad) got on busking? I seem to remember an article in a newspaper(?) about him busking in a Metro station and making about $12.00 or there abouts...it was a hoot!
# Posted on June 25th 2008 by john knoss
Re: Busking
in spanish you have the verb "buscar" which means to search or perhaps to ask. hence "to busk" as in to ask for money. how's that for totally made up etymology?
# Posted on June 25th 2008 by Brendan
Re: Busking
Yeah, but that Joshua Bell experiment was conducted in Washington. It's a well known fact that everyone in Washington is a philistine. I can attest to the veracity of that statement, as I have the great misfortune to live in the district.
# Posted on June 25th 2008 by North Light
Re: Busking
In 16th/17th century England, 'buskins' were common leather sandals or shoes. There's also a Playford tune called Buskin.
# Posted on June 26th 2008 by fynnjamin